Not The Rosewood I Once Knew

Rosewood used to be one of the rare clubs in New York where you could actually connect with a dancer before a lap dance. A few years ago, it had a more relaxed, almost lounge-like atmosphere, and most of the dancers were American—college students, local girls, aspiring artists—women who brought a sense of personality and spontaneity to the experience. You could grab a drink, strike up a real conversation, share a few laughs, and when a dance happened, it felt natural, like part of a shared vibe instead of a scripted routine. It was one of those spots where regulars felt welcome and even first-timers didn’t feel rushed or preyed on.

That’s all changed. These days, the club has undergone a quiet transformation, and it’s not for the better. The majority of the dancers are now Eastern European—Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian—and while they’re beautiful, stylish, and highly professional, the warmth and personality that once defined the place are gone. The energy is colder, more calculated. Interactions feel like they’re running on a script: approach, compliment, pitch, upsell, disappear. If you’re not immediately signaling that you’re ready to spend, most dancers will move on within 30 seconds. There’s very little room for conversation, no real chance to get to know anyone, and any attempt to have a light, casual chat usually leads right back to a sales pitch.

The club itself still looks great. It’s tucked into an unmarked building on the east side of Midtown, just far enough from the tourist crush to feel discreet. The interior is sleek and upscale—more like a designer lounge than a strip club. There’s no stage or rotation; instead, the main floor is filled with velvet couches, dim lighting, and soft background music that gives it a loungey, after-hours vibe. Lap dances take place behind thick velvet curtains in semi-private booths. It adds a layer of discretion, sure, but it also sucks the life out of the floor—there’s not much happening visually unless you’re already engaged with someone, so the energy often feels dead even when the club is busy.